Spring Forward: Easy Cancer-Fighting Exercises

Yesterday saw the arrival of day light savings time for many of us. That means longer days and more time to get out of the house in the evenings and exercise. The most accessible and cheapest forms of exercise are walking and strenth-building exercises that you can do at home. Walking combined with a few muscle-building exercises will get you in great shape and help heal and/or prevent cancer. This week Matthew Goodmote, physical therapist and owner of Community Physical Therapy & Wellness in Gloversville, NY, is back with an easy fitness routine -- no special equipment required!

Matthew says:

I recommend starting with a warm-up. This could be a 5-10 minute walk, jumping jacks for 5 minutes, cycling or elliptical exercisers are also fine. 

Once you are warmed up try the following full body routine:

1. “Tummy Tucks”: Lie on your back and pull your belly button to the floor as though you were tightening your stomach to prepare to get punched. Tighten all the muscles in your stomach, sides and back. This is teaching you how to engage your core.
2. Bridges: Lying on your back perform a “tummy tuck” to engage your core then lift you buttocks off the floor.
3. Planks: Lie in a push-up position and lift your chest off the floor and hold your torso straight and rigid. Hold this position for 10-30 seconds.
4. Squat: Sit down in a chair and stand up. Keep your knees behind your toes and stick your bottom out as you go down into the chair.
5. Lunges: Stand with one foot in front of the other and slowly lower your back knee to the floor. Use your front leg to lift yourself up off the floor then repeat. (See image below.)
6. Single leg squats: Stand on one foot. Slowly bend the stance leg as far as you can while keeping the knee behind the toe.
7. Bicep Curls: Lift a weight from your waist up to your shoulder.
8. Tricep overhead/in front of head extensions: Lift a weight overhead and let your elbow bend so that the weight comes to your chest while the elbow continues to point towards the sky. First time bring the weight to the front of your head the second time to the back of your head. Alternate and repeat on opposite side.
9. Bent over rows/saw pulls: Bend at the waist keeping your back perfectly straight. Pull a weight from the floor to your chest and slowly lower back towards the floor. It is not necessary for the weight to touch the floor on the return motion. Maintain a straight back and stop if you have back pain.
10. Push-Ups: Keeping your trunk straight perform push-ups on your knees until you are able to perform maintaining proper technique in the traditional manner. Repeat to exhaustion.
11. Perform all exercises 12-15 repetitions for 2-3 sets every other day. Progress the weight so that the 12-15 repetitions are challenging but not impossible. 

Cardiovascular exercises can be walking, running, swimming, aerobics, etc.
 
The cool down should address all the major muscle groups and traditional techniques are fine. I use Yoga practices with my patients. Simple routines like a “Sun Salutation” will work most major muscle groups in a few simple poses.
 
Image via Aches & Joints